Early Permian brachiopods of Gondwana affinity from the Dingjiazhai Formation of the Baoshan Block, western Yunnan, China

Twenty-eight species belonging to twenty-six genera and two unidentifiable genera are reported and figured from twelve isolated localities of the Ding jiazhai Formation in the Baoshan Block, western Yunnan, China. Four new spe cies, Bandoproductus qingshuigowensis. sp, Callytharrella dongshanpoensis n . sp., Tuigonotreta semicircularis n. sp. and Punctocyrtella? yunnanensis n . sp., are described. Based on the stratigraphic distribution of the brachi opod species throughout the Dingjiazhai Formation, three assemblages are re cognisable, which in ascending order are: Bandoproductus qingshuigouensis-M arginifera, a semigratiosa Assemblage (Asselian age), Punctocyrtella austra lis-Punctospirifer afghanus Assemblage (most likely latest Asselian-Early S akmarian) and Callytharrella dongshanpoensis Assemblage (Late Sakmarian-Art inskian). The Early Permian Dingjiazhai brachiopod fauna as a whole demonst rates strong generic and specific links with those of Gondwanan and Perigon dwanan faunas, but also demonstrates limited bur significant links with tho se of the eastern Palaeotethyan faunas.